Summing up the nuts

In looking at the lies of the wingnuts on health care ... killing seniors, rationing care, etc..., ... and the means of how they are promoting this demagoguery via loud voices, threats, intimidation, and calls to violence, I found an Op-ed by Charles M. Blow in August 8, 2009 N.Y. Times to be particularly good. A few quotes from Mr. Blow:

"Belligerence is the currency of the intellectually bankrupt."

"Let's face it: This is no party of Einsteins. Really, it isn't. A Pew poll last month found that only 6 percent of scientists said they were Republicans."

"... the debate is too important to be hijacked by hooligans."

Poem: Twisted Tree

Twisted Tree

Of dressings made

And vegan wraps

A place to read

Or midday nap

Singers sing

We hum and clap

And Clark will serve the fare

Ana, Una

Serving friends

A discourse flows

As night descends

The laughter grows

And rarely ends

While good times had by all

But nothing beats

Desserts we take

Chocolate chip

And cup of cake

We eat ‘em all

That Clark might make

And sometimes ask for more

So come on down

To Twisted Tree

On Cookman Ave

Close by the sea

They’ll greet you well

Just come and be

And pass the time away

You’ll find a place to stay

Copyright SGW 2009

The Art of Racing in the Rain

"(We) go where our eyes go." The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein.

* I changed it a little, but I hope you get the idea.

Poem: Dry

Dry

The ink bleeds one last word
A pen will die unheard
Silent goes this tool
Writer’s left a fool
Never did it matter
Mindless chitter chatter

Copyright SGW 2008

Poem: Neda

Neda

A beautiful smile

Obvious joy in living

Musical, friendly, playful

Neda

Twenty-six years old

Only beginning life

So much promise; so many dreams

Neda

One bullet to her chest

Then eyes roll to sleep

Blood pouring from nose and mouth

Neda

A nameless triggerman

But the assassins?

Khamenei, Ahmadinejad

Falsely-claimed men of God

Oppressive cowards

Fearing the people, the truth, freedom, God’s way

Neda

Truly these rulers – frightened tyrants

Hiding behind lies, crimes, stolen elections

Pretending belief in God

Killing with evil, brutality is not God-like

Neda

A young life of endless possibility

Bleeding away on the pavement

How many more in the shadows?

Neda, Neda, Neda

All tyranny is defeated by time

Honor and justice prevail

And a death, many, too many, will be remembered

Neda will be remembered

Copyright SGW 2009

My previous thoughts on Neda are here.

Neda

So many people die each day. Many die at the hands of evil and corrupt people or institutions. However, the death of Neda Salehi Agha Soltan, 26, in Iran a few days ago haunts me. It is the first time I have ever witnessed someone die (via Youtube) and I will never forget her face.

Seeing Neda die in such a way gets to the heart of what is happening in Iran and many other places around the world. Anyone who could witness another person die in this manner and still condone acts of violence against innocent people does not believe in God, is wholly unjust and immoral, is criminal, and deserves no place in society. The Iranian regime must go. It does not deserve power, respect or any measure of religious standing.

I pray that the people of Iran can rise up and replace the Khamenei/Ahmadinejad dictatorship with a just and free government - one that does not hate its own people OR God.

Poem: Circling The Drain

Circling The Drain

The Republican remnants in a terrible fright
The right wingnuts worry they have lost all their bite
Cry of lost power thrown away they once kept
When they made the decisions they were wholly inept
They freed Wall Street bankers to run unfettered by law
Rules that might govern they would strongly abhor
The economy’s in ruin and they offer just “no’s”
Herbert Hoover their answer as history shows
Boxed in a nation only richest might thrive
When Bushie left office we could barely survive
Their Fox, faux, fake news show where the ignorant turn
They distort, twist and lie and their viewers won’t learn
Screaming irrationally and playing to fear
Obama’s a Marxist, militant (black), Muslim, queer
Reduced to the ravings of a tea-bagging muddle
The conservative ocean now no more than a puddle

Copyright SGW 2009

Extremists in the name of NO God

Extremist Muslims who are suicide bombers do not follow anything God might defend.

Extremist Christians who shoot doctors who perform abortions and discriminate against gays do not follow anything God might defend.

Extremist Jews who rampage against Arabs in the West Bank and murder to defend illegal settlements do not follow anything God might defend.

Poem: Broken

Broken

He hit you

Again and again and again

Left bruises, scars

Emptied spirit bled dry in the unanswered questions of why

Your father

Who loved you

But how is it love; the beatings?

You hit me

Again and again and again

Left wounds, marks

Hollowed spirit sucked clean from the unquestioned answers of because

My father

Who loves me

And it is how it is; the beatings

I could hit him

Again and again and again

Leave bruises, wounds and scars

Destroy another in never-ending chains without questioning

A father

Who loves him

And it is love to say enough

Copyright SGW 2009

Footnote: Nothing about this poem is personal. My dad was the furthest from this as is possible, as was his father. I wrote this as part of an exercise in relation to this poem: Prevention.

Poem: Prevention

I work for a place that PREVENTS child abuse. That is the first thing that made this endeavor a challenge: How do you write about something that has not happened? My organization trains people and provides technical assistance to those who work with families, so they are not necessarily the first line of action either. They are in the schools and run programs, as such, but again, it is a tough angle to write from. They asked me to do so.

Prevention

Days can grow long with a sense of no hope

Life has its struggles of a too much to cope

I could know not the answers for a world of dismay

Fallen ‘pon hardships of a sure disarray

Money grows tighter so as can’t meet their needs

Obligations as mother are a challenge to heed

How can I feed them and who will buy clothes

Help with the housework? God only knows!

They disrupt any quiet and disobey me at will

Constantly crying, and the whining grows shrill

Lines of support mostly shatter or wilt

Relationship’s falter from foundation’s poor-built

An urge often rises all the harder to fight

You are weak with exhaustion; every nerve starts to bite

Control could be lost bringing anger to head

That’s when children get beaten; that’s when children get dead

One should see these portrayals as being unset by stone

There are choices to make if we’re not left alone

For the parent who struggles, there’s an alternate route

Teachers with answers to be found all about

In the training, assistance and support we provide

At each fork in the road better paths get applied

Here lies a purpose and the mission at core

Preventing abuse – we will work all the more

Copyright SGW 2009